A Little White Room
by 1madscientist
Summary: Tony Stark is the principal interrogator of the traitor Loki. Set after Loki is captured and before he returns to Asgard with Thor. Could Loki be hiding a game far greater than his plan to conquer Earth? What is the destiny of Tony Stark, now advanced aliens are confirmed to exist? How will the scientist and the sorcerer reconcile their differences? FrostIron alternate continuation
1. Chapter 1

Tony dragged a chair. Loki winced. Tony span it and sat on it backward.

"That's now how you use a chair, you know."

"It's how I use a chair."

Loki looked away as if Tony were disinteresting as a fly.

Tony looked the detained figure up and down. The cloth he'd worn under his battle garmets was grey and thin. It looked like cotton.

"You don't look like a God."

"I feel like one." Loki met his eye and stared like steel. He was met with a jovial mercurial mischief in Tony's aspect.

"Join the club."

Loki stood, turned his chair away from Tony and sat in it, facing away. "I have no time for mortal concerns. You're insects to me. Do I care for the flitting opinion of lesser creatures? Nonsense. Preposterous."

"Oh, I can tell. By the way you, y'know, tried to decimate all of New York."

"City."

"You weren't the first to try. We're a hardy bunch, kid."

Loki hissed. "You dare call me child?"

"You're acting like one. Plus, what are you? In human years, I mean. College age?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Oh, I'm not concerned. I'm curious."

Loki turned his head. "Why?" His eyes narrowed.

"Honestly? Trying to get you a lighter sentence. If your youth can be held by the Asgardian court as a mitigating factor, your punishment will probably be lenient."

"Obsessed with justice. Humans are pathetic. There's no such thing. You might as well chase the wind. What dreams…"

"Wait, weren't you obsessed with getting the worshippers you thought you deserved? Isn't that justice?"

"That's injustice" Loki spat.

"How old are you?"

"Your galaxy operates by different rules than mine. You cannot comprehend-"

"I'm a genius. Of science."

"Which one?"

"All of them."

Loki scoffed. "You think you're a scholar? I've seen wonders of the cosmos. How could I reduce it to a level comprehensible by a human brain?"

"It was this human brain that stopped your army-"

"-convenient trickery."

"You should respect it, then. Aren't you the God of Mischief?"

"Injustice repaid."

"And don't forget, I offered you a get out clause."

"You won't let me. I recall."

"Well, then-"

"I owe you nothing, man of an iron shell."

"I hide behind my suit, it's my armour. That much is true. But it's no different than your magic."

Loki spun and threw the chair to the ground. It broke.

"Magic! Don't you talk to me of magic! You think your little stunt of a ruse with the reactor blocking was impressive? Oh, you've got to be joking. You cannot be that arrogant."

"I'm Tony Stark."

"What does that mean?"

Tony shrugged.

"Is that code for something?"

"Put it this way: whenever someone does something amazing, with a woman" Loki looked uncomfortable, Tony noted, "with an invention, a business, whatever, they say my name. I'm the God of Awesome."

Loki made a hacking sound from the back of his throat. "Mortals. No conception of your finite legacy."

"I'm aware. They don't call me genius because I can fly in a tin can. I've got a great brain up here." He tapped his head and used the contact to rustle his own hair.

"You have no right to lecture me on magic. You are merely a man, one of wires and boundaries." Loki leant over Tony, which he allowed. "In my world, we are limitless. We are immortal. I don't need a lump of scrap metal in my chest to do great things."

Tony stared calmly back, with no observable reaction.

"You remind me of a friend of mine."

"Thor?" Loki rolled his eyes.

"You really hate being compared to your brother, don't you? Makes me glad I'm an only child. No, I was referring to a doctor."

"A Doctor?"

"The Doctor-"

"Of magic, perhaps?" Loki folded his arms with impatience. "Hurry up mortal man."

"Is that concern? Doctor Strange, genius of magical arts. The Doctor of anything mystical, I go to him."

"And where is he, this magical man? What a contradiction in terms."

"Oxymoron."

"What's that?"

"A contradiction in terms, and a neologism."

Loki didn't reply.

"It means a recently created word."

"I care not. We Asgardians invented your language and you taint it with puerile additions."

"Funny, how you count yourself among their number. You've been hurt by them so many times."

"They're family. You wouldn't understand." Loki stood in the corner.

Tony sat up, his brain whirring and processing this nerve for future reference. After a brief hesitation, he offered Loki his seat.

"No thank you." The words were polite, but the tone was not.

"You're quite strange yourself."

"Flattery? Surely quarry like myself require a challenge? Bring this intellectual to me, this Doctor of Magic. I would enjoy ripping him apart with a wave of my hand."

"As much as I would love to see you try, he's not available right now, but he's one of my best friends. I'll give him your number." Tony winked.

"I have no number. A number for what? Is there an index of intelligence on this planet?" Loki appeared genuinely interested.

"I wish. I could boast the top spot. Ah - maybe tied with Reed." Tony thought to himself. "We need to get you a phone."

"Who would I call?"

"Good point. That's a question I cannot answer." Tony stood, bowed slightly to Loki. Loki nodded with a smirk.

"We'll speak again soon."

"Bring your mind next time." Loki called out. "I need something to play with."


	2. Chapter 2

"How'd it go?" Natasha glanced over from the spot in front of the TV.

"He's talking to me."

"Talking? Just talking? Is that it?" Natasha scoffed. "Noob."

"It's a start. I need to work my way into his mind. He's deceptive, we all know that."

Thor stood. "I should speak with him. He is my responsibility."

"No no no, not wise." Steve placed a hand on Thor and eased him back down onto his seat. The seat quivered at the weight.

"You're the big red button, big guy. Arms rule: we don't pull out the big guns" Tony squeezed his arm, "until we have to."

"What's the next move?" Hawkeye was recalibrating his bow delicately.

"I'll go back tomorrow and try to go deeper. Odin's court will be harsh on him, but we have to know the truth. I mean, aliens? Government agents the world over as overrun with work now. Why attack Earth's population when he wanted to rule over it?"

"Good question" Bruce added although he hadn't moved an inch for about an hour. He was staring at his hands.

"Maybe he thought we wouldn't put up a fight?" Steve shrugged.

"Why bring an army if you're not gonna use it?" Natasha countered.

"Show of numbers." Steve rebuffed.

"There is an answer, I can feel it." Tony pondered with palms pressed together.

"You think there's something else up his sleeve?" Bruce said with minimal interest.

"I don't trust our victory. It felt too easy."

"We outnumbered him." Thor added sadly.

"Numbers don't mean shit. I'm just worried he outsmarted us."

Thor laughed. "My brother is many things, but long-sighted is not among them. He underestimated human forces. Given the Asgardian education of historical human incompetence, I'm hardly surprised."

"He's smarter than you." Tony shot back.

"What are you proclaiming, Midgardian?"

"You don't underestimate humans. It seems like too big of a glaring omission for him. I dunno... I'm uneasy and I don't like it."

"Tony Stark with his feathers ruffled. Someone tell the papers." Natasha remarked droll.

"I could be wrong-"

The team gave him incredulous looks. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Tony?" Bruce analyzed from afar. Hawkeye raised his bow to Tony's direction in warning.

"I hope I'm wrong, is what I meant to say. Can it really be that simple? Does no one find anything wrong with that?"

Bruce walked over in understanding and put an arm around Tony. "Trouble with people like us Tony, we search our whole lives for complicated answers. We crave them after a while. We need them. But our feelings on the subject are clouded by the very intelligence we rely on. You've gotta remember, some things really are that simple. And people especially. People can _really_ be _that_ dumb."

"He's a God."

"Frost Giant."

"He's immortal" Thor added.

"He's a God then" Tony replied.

"Gods are people too, Tony." Bruce half-hugged him.

"I dunno."

"Live with the uncertainty. Relish the simple answers. The universe is full of them." He peered at his hand again.

"I need to think. I'll be in my lab." Tony always shuffled off to his land of metal and code where everything was simply and nothing hurt, when he needed some thinking space.

"Great, I'll come with you." Bruce grimaced.

Tony knew he was only coming along to prevent ruminating.

Steve narrated as they walked out of the living room "Science Bros, off on another daring adventure." The team sniggered. Thor was playing with Hawkeye's phone. Natasha switched off Supernanny and went to lie down. She hadn't felt right knowing Loki was nearby, after he'd threatened her. Skills in fighting were useless against spirits and magic.


	3. Tony explains why Arc tech is his alone

"See that? Our Captain's a bit jealous." Bruce strode alongside Tony.

"He can join in with our science antics, he just doesn't want to. Especially when there are no explosions involved."

"You correct him every other sentence when he tries and call him 'Our Little Soldier'."

"It's affectionate! Guy was my hero growing up. I'm just teaching, it's what scientists do, I don't correct him_ all _the time. Nah." Tony thought about it. "Only a little. And I got my extreme sports stuff to do with him. The team each have our little hobbies together. He expects me to be my dad, but I can't be. I wish I could. He shouldn't be jealous because I have more than one playmate."

"I get the feeling you've had many playmates." Bruce shot a knowing look. He didn't hang around cities long enough to read many papers, but that just made it worse that he knew.

"Countless."

"You seem the kinda man to count."

"128, repeats don't count. But I don't remember them, as people."

"I suppose that's one way of keeping it confidential."

"I had to program JARVIS to administer tests on me after each one."

"Safety first."

"Yep. After you." Tony allowed Bruce to step into the lab first, since it was Tony's baby.

They tinkered with programs and little trinkets of metal for a while, occasionally exchanging ideas for application or improvement.

Eventually the subject of the Stark Tower came up, and its unusual power source.

"Haven't you had offers? About the arc reactor tech?" Bruce was cleaning his glasses.

"Tons. Metric fucktons, my friend."

"Haven't you even considered the extrapolations? The development possibilities alone would save countless lives."

"No. I'm the only one I can trust with my machines. Sometimes, not even that."

"But we could do it together. I could keep you on the straight and narrow. I'm a walking example of science gone awry. You trust me, surely?"

"Bruce, don't you think I've thought about this? It's a no. Drop it."

"But-"

"NO." Tony hit the table.

Bruce laughed. "Now now, Mr Stark, don't make me angry." He slid his glasses wistfully up on his nose. "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

"I like you plenty enough. The Jolly Green guy broke my fall last time he made an appearance."

"What beautiful mental imagery."

Tony flicked through his inbox. Bruce was watching and made Tony feel uncomfortable.

"We all have limits, Bruce."

"I can't find yours."

"I hide them well."

"Knight in shining armor."

"I do what I can. There are some things I can't-"

"Won't-"

"Can't do."

"Why not entertain the possibility?"

Tony closed the inbox. "Do you know what it's like for me? I have all these ideas, buzzing around my head like a hive of bees. If I ignore even one, they turn on me and sting."

"Explains all the patents."

"It feels like I can't fit all of this new information into my head. Sometimes I have to push out meaningful stuff and regret it forever. I can barely remember my dad, for example."

"Then how can you ignore the reactor's potential?"

"Bruce, what are you? What does your strength make you?"

"Dangerous."

"A weapon."

"No, I wouldn't say that. I don't do anything-"

"Exactly! You choose how to use your power."

"I don't see how that's connected-"

"I'm a weapon. Without the suit. This head of mine could destroy the world." Tony massaged his temples. "Do you have any idea what a burden that is? If I go crazy someday, I don't even want to think about the consequences. I suspect that's why Loki targeted mind controlling me in the battle, rather than anyone else in the whole world."

"Yeah, I read the report. You think you'll use the reactor for bad? Then why not let others benefit, they can keep you in line."

"Oh, what, the military? Cos we both know if I shared, that's the first place it's going."

"This person I have with me at all times, he's not so bad. He's just different. Your mind is brilliant, that's why you have such a hard time fitting in. Except your monster can be yourself. you could, you're right, wake up one morning and destroy everything you and the Stark legacy has created. Reputation is a bitch to earn and like sand to hold."

"They used to call me The Merchant of Death."

"It's the press, you shouldn't listen to them."

"They were right."

"Tony, I know you. You wouldn't-"

"Oh, but I have."

Bruce looked perplexed.

"In my head I have all these ideas... and most of them are for weapons. All kinds. Biological, chemical, electrical, nuclear and some... genetic."

Bruce gasped and lowered his voice. "Eugenics?"

"Eugenics."

Bruce fell back into his chair, taking the information in. "But you ignore them? Doesn't that hurt?"

"All the time. Headaches up the wazoo. Lethargy from the oxygen use. It never ends. I can't even write them down in case someone goes through my stuff when I'm dead."

"How do you handle it?"

"I learned a long time ago. Power is not what you can do. Power is how much you can control of what you do. If I had to give one piece of advice to a kid, on the one thing that'd save them from self-destruction, it'd be frustration tolerance. In my own head, it's so frustrating it's painful."

"Are you on meds?"

"What do you think the booze is for, Bruce? The alcohol constricts the blood vessels in the brain, doing more for my headaches than any nerve signal blockers."

"But your ideas, the ones you build, are good, everyone agrees."

"Everyone else is normal. I know, in my" he tapped the arc in his chest, "heart, that they're just toys compared to what else cooks up here. I have nightmares I know could come true."

"Toys?"

"Trinkets. Little examples of stuff I could've come up with as a kid. There's no evolution because, for years now, the level I think on is just too big to test."

"Global."

Tony nodded.

"But the arc is the biggest tech you've ever built. It's amazing."

"Tell me, Bruce, what is the only limitation on the size of a weapon?"

"Er, I've never really thought about-"

"Precisely. I have. In excruciating detail. It's not the manufacturing. It's not the materials. It's the scale. The scale is limited by energy use."

"...Oh."

"If I let the arc become readily available, other people will get the same ideas as me. It's simple probability, from the number I get. Except I'll have handed to them the exact power vital to make it. This is the real reason the military wants sustainable energy technology. That's the real reason they're obsessed with the tessaract."

Bruce sharply breathed out. "Fuck."

"I might seem like the bad guy at times, maybe a complete bastard, but everything I do, I do for a reason. Unlimited energy is not a good thing. It's easier to obliterate mankind, to destroy, than it is to nurture and help."

"That explains the small scale of your suit, compared to others."

"Gets the job done. All I need." Tony walked towards the minibar.

Bruce stood and began to walk over too, looking out at the view of New York. "Why can't things ever be simple? Is it us?"

Tony chuckled and poured himself a stern drink, double, then another for Bruce. "People. People just like to fuck things up."


	4. Chapter 4

Tony brought in a tray of food.

"Why did you set foot on this planet?"

"My feet are my own concern. I flew because it is in my _natural_ power, mortal."

"Been talking to Thor."

"That must have been intellectually stimulating. "

"He was telling me about Frost Giants."

Loki swung his head around and stared at Tony, daring him for an excuse.

"I figured since I need to help you, I need to understand what you are first. If you had special requirements given your species." Tony pointed at the tray, balanced on a small foldout table.

"Leaving would help me. I'm not like the others." Loki turned his head away.

"In time. Did the other kids laugh and call you names? Yeah I bet, you're too short and not blue. Didn't play in all their Asgard games?"

Loki rounded behind Tony as a blur, grabbed Tony by the neck and held him aloft. The grip was light but insistent. Threatening farther pressure.

Tony hands grasped the air behind him, trying to reach Loki.

"I can make you turn blue." He purred and tightened his grip slowly. "Would you like me to try?"

Tony began to clutch at his throat. He couldn't speak. Rasping sounds came out.

"You don't seem tall enough to count as a man. A pixie, perhaps."

Tony blacked out. He had turned blue before Loki let him go.

He awoke on the ground. Loki stood in front of him. Tony panted and spluttered for breath. Loki looked down at him with mild irritation. "Metal can yield." Loki bended forward over Tony. "The only time you need to dwell on my feet is when you kneel before them. I dare any mortal to question me then."

Tony coughed a little trying to form words. "Convincing, I've gotta hand it to ya."

Loki picked Tony up by his collar with a pincer of a finger and thumb until their faces were level. "What nonsense do you talk?"

"You pretend like you don't care. Can't kid a kidder, kid." Tony grinned, although he'd bitten his tongue flailing and his teeth were pale red.

Loki let Tony drop to the ground. "I am older than you. I am your superior in every regard. No doubt Thor told you Asgardian age is calculated differently."

"Yeah, your year is fifty here. Larger orbit of your planet. You guys are like a thousand earth years."

"We're immortal, we do not count ages except by ruler. Currently, we count as The Age of _Odin_."

"You count immaturity. Compared to other Asgardians, you guys are about college age." Tony laughed. "I was right." He stood, shakily at first.

"Get out."

"Ordering me out of your room? Child."

"I could remove the air from this room. I am immortal. I will survive."

"Your magic works in here?" Tony swayed. "Really?"

"You're weakened, you're talking gibberish in an altered state."

"You're so sweet to think of me." Tony made a small, klunky ironic bow. "Honey, I've spent my _life_ in an altered state. I riiide with the tide." Tony pretended to be surfing.

Loki changed his form to blue skinned but kept his blue eyes.

"Huh." Tony was temporarily stumped. "I guess that is a kinda magic. You are a real frost... boy."

Loki pushed Tony to the door with a blast of magic from his hand and didn't let up until the door had been opened and Tony was outside. The doors closed again.

Loki angrily ate his meal, stabbing at the plate.

"Comfort eating?" Tony quipped smugly over the speakerphone.

"Stop watching me" Loki called to the ceiling.

"Talk to me then."

"THOR! YOUR HUMAN IS ANNOYING ME!" Loki screamed.

Thor boomed chuckling from the loud speaker, "I think he likes you."

Author's Note: slight break from writing now while I graduate day after tomorrow and work on my Sherlock fic which has been pushed aside for weeks while I did this.


	5. Chapter 5

"Is it in yet?" Tony chimed innocently.

Natasha rolls her eyes "Focus."

Bruce waved a scanner over Tony's ear and a faint light briefly flashes. "Yep. Activated."

"Can it be seen?"

Steve leant over Bruce. "Nope, I can't see anything. Great work Bruce" and patted his shoulder roughly.

"Thanks but Stark recording tech is getting smaller, that's on Tony."

"And that's the _only_ thing about me that is small."

Clint left with a small remote control for the next room.

Tony heard a small crackling of interference at first.

"Decrease the signal variance! Move the lever down!" Tony called to the next room.

The crackling stopped. A small shuffling boom came through.

"Someone go help him, his manual dexterity might be good but he's clueless on setup."

Natasha left.

Bruce stood by in case the unit required immediate removal. His fingers flicked unconsciously.

Steve got bored and left the room, complaining there was nothing to see.

Tony felt a pop in his ear. Natasha's voice came through. "Testing testing, Tony Stark, do you copy? Over."

"Ooh that feels weird, it's like you're in my head. Enjoying the view, redhot?"

Natasha laughed. "Is the signal clear?"

"Tell Clint to very _gently_ turn the second dial to the left."

Tony hissed at the static which hastily ceased.

"How about now?"

"Yep. Crystal."

"Remember, we'll be using the JARVIS' viewing screen, keep the line open so we know to pull you out if need be."

"Tony Stark doesn't finish early." He grinned.

Bruce piped up. "He almost choked you to death. If that virus you've been tinkering with didn't boost the oxygen levels in your blood, you'd be worm food."

"I don't feel any different."

"There's a lot we don't know. Befriend him. You're the only one out of us he could possibly trust."

"Being choked twice by the same guy does create a certain bond. You know, this'll be our third date."

"Take one for the team, Tony." Natasha intoned half-joking.

"Where's Fury? Shouldn't he be here?"

Bruce cleaned his glasses. He always did that when he was apprehensive. "He's the boss. You've always been self-employed Tony. Bosses are never around."

"What does he do then?"

"Set things up for us to do, I guess."

"We don't actually know, do we?"

"Whatever he does wasn't on that file plundering you sent JARVIS on."

"A boss who's never around. We should replace him. Maybe that svelte assistant he's got, you must've noticed her too. I could handle taking _her_ orders-"

Natasha interjected "We can still hear you."

"Oh, my Russian doll, are you jealous?"

"This Barbie can kill you with a pair of chopsticks, focus on the work."

"I take it we're going for noodles tonight."

"Some Japanese place we spent weeks talking Steve into going, yeah. Mind off money. Off food, off fucking. Clint and I will go to the screen you set up with JARVIS. I don't care what happens as long as you get us answers."

"You're brutal. It's hot."

Tony stood.

Bruce gave him one more look over to check for any missed faults. "I'll be upstairs with Steve. If the alarm gets triggered, it won't be me running up there."

"It'll be fine. I'm the king of conversation."

"He'll lure you in. He's got a silver tongue, Tony. Silver ranks higher than iron."

"My suits aren't made out of iron anymore - it's a gold pla-, oh nevermind. Let's get this over with. All I can think about now is a bowl of beef noodles."

Natasha added as they took their places "They're on me if you do this right."

"Food play? I always knew you were a kinky one, with that leather. I'd prefer to eat steak strips off of _your_ lovely form, Natasha."

Tony took the elevator down by himself. "They call me Black Widow because I can eat you alive, Tony."

"Ooh" a chill ran down his spine. "I won't forget it."

"Metalhead, can it." Clint interrupted.

"Deciphering a god of lies. Finally a challenge. How hard can it be?" Tony stood outside Loki's cell tingling.

* * *

Author's Note: I've spent my time away plotting out the rest of this story. The dramatic side will become more prominent. It's a plot with a lot of twists and explanations of events in related Marvel films. I intend it to answer questions a fan would normally ask of these films, whilst leaving it open enough for the sequels and for others to write their own spinoffs depending on their interpretation of certain events, which I encourage so much so I've left key events ambiguously worded.

Reviews guide my process but do not inform it directly, I appreciate all of them. If I write something that doesn't seem to make sense at the moment, do bring it to my attention, although I often hint to things later explained (hence why it took weeks to plot the plot, it's detailed and thoroughly researched).


	6. Chapter 6

The door slid to one side and closed silently. Tony couldn't help but feel locked in. Funny, coming from a man who wilfully encased himself in metal professionally.

From the other side of the room, the creature who looked like a man had his long arms wrapped around longer legs, seated on his bed with his eyes shut in thought. He didn't look up at the intruder.

Tony dallied by the door, "Do you like the new clothes I've provided?" He forced himself to focus on the charcoal jeans and olive long sleeved shirt. Quite the fashion at present.

"You forgot my crown." His head snapped up and he stared hard. He looked healthier, his pale skin almost shone faintly.

Tony resisted the urge to step backward, Loki acted as if he had all the cards.

"Drama queens don't need crowns. I could get you a sweet tiara?"

Loki slid his hands from his person to rest flat on the bed. He smiled. It was the creepiest thing he could've done and he knew it. "How honoured I am to be joined by my captor. Tell me, when is my deportation?"

"When I get answers." Loki didn't need to know there was a time limit. His swarthe face calculated bitterly.

"Is that why you're here? To get inside my head? Be careful, Stark, there are demons here." He leapt gracefully from the bed. "But you already knew, didn't you?" he whispered, "it takes one to know one."

"Mull over our past conversations. I've only given you sound advice."

Loki closed his hands over one another in front of his body. "You speak the truth, Tony. I implore you, speak more. Why you?"

Tony shrugged, it didn't come off as casual as he'd hoped. "Would you listen to anyone else? Besides, when you came to my apartment, I saw which room you emerged from. Like my bedroom?"

"It could use a woman's touch."

"The position has been filled."

"Nothing is permanent."

Tony frowned, he couldn't restrain it. Loki drank in the reaction.

"Time will tell."

"Oh, your human platitudes don't amuse me, try again tomorrow-" Loki turned from him.

"Wait-!" Tony stopped himself, not early enough.

Loki snapped around. "You need me." Tony bristled at being read.

"No, you need _me_. I want you out of here as soon as possible, I've got more important things to do than babysit."

"What qualification do you have, to defend me?"

"No one else wants to."

Loki clucked sharply. "I suppose your vainglory allows you a final victory over the subdued. A little beneath my standards, personally-"

"You don't have standards."

"What makes you say that?"

"You attacked Earth."

Tony froze, he had quipped without thinking.

Loki howled laughing. "Mortality is squandered on entertaining individuals. The precious resource on this planet is not metal nor ice, it is intellect. The greatest mortal intellect loathes its own condition!" Loki cackled.

Tony stood motionless. Contrary to popular belief, he was used to being laughed at in his youth, when people didn't know the pipe dreams he'd followed were within his own sphere of power.

"You do not respond? No retort?" Loki paused and calmed down. "I am disappointed." He sat on the bed.

"I look at humanity and strive to improve it. My misanthropy dwindles with every advance."

"You think you can improve me? Fix me? This machine is broken in ways you cannot imagine, my loyalties betrayed by those I called brethren."

"A faithless nomad. All I need."

"I believe still. You sympathize with my faith? Surely sympathy, if not empathy, is a necessary quality in one's protector?"

"Protector?"

"You have obviously never met Odin, All-Father" Loki spat.

"Tell me what you believe, and I'll tell you if I believe in it."

Loki chuckled. "I am no simpleton. My beliefs could fill books."

"If you have no faith in your father-"

"My father is dead." The room became colder.

"Who do you have faith in?"

"Myself. Best relationship I've ever had."

Tony started. "I can't fault you on that."

Loki had a small smile of understanding but said nothing.

"What do you hope to gain? It can't be power, you're a prince already."

"Respect."

"Respect cannot be bought, coerced or forced, it has to be earnt."

"Who said anything about force?"

Tony laughed. "I like you."

"I intend to earn my place. To use my abilities in compulsion to advance the worlds, as you yourself wish."

"Why not do so with Odin's blessing?"

"Odin blesses nothing I do, no matter how well-intended. You know, I have defended Asgard with my trickery and where _others_ would have been hailed as champions, I was shunned and derided?"

"I know the feeling on the father issues. Thankfully mine is long dead." Tony heard a collective gasp on his earpiece.

"What was that?" Loki looked around.

"Faulty wiring, probably." Tony pointed up to the ceiling and shunned the bitterness in his thoughts.

Loki sat back appeased. "Do you wish him alive? Your own father."

Tony leaned against the wall and reflected. After a long moment, he replied "No. He'd be competing with me at every turn. I'd like to talk to him, sure, I dream about it but... I remember all too clearly what he was like when I was a child. I can't forgive him enough to live with him."

Loki chewed his lip. "You have empathy for my cause. My standing with Odin is the same. As you please, you shall represent me here. My attacker becomes my defender, how charming."

"I have the shining armour. I'm only here because you deserve to be heard. You be the Prince, I'll bring the charm."

Loki's face was blank. "It is settled. You can go now." Loki waved his hand toward the door and laid down.

Tony refused to be ushered from a room of his own building.


	7. Chapter 7

"Sir?" Maria Hill set down the black coffee with chilli foam and a small plate of cinnamon rolls.  
"Mmm..." Fury rumbled, greedily gulping down half the coffee in one shot.  
"I don't know how you can drink that, Sir."  
"Maria," the Director sat back, eyes fixed on his security monitor "this line of work numbs you. If you have any hope of taking over from me in the future, you'll come to appreciate the extremes you'll have to go to, to experience anything genuinely."

Hill didn't reply. They watched the monitor, with its live feed of Loki's cell.  
Tony was a good fit for breaking Loki, Fury was glad he'd planted the idea. "Looks like you might have some competition, Hill." He grinned, tearing up the cinnamon rolls into bite sized pieces.

"Stark is unstable."

"Sometimes that can be an advantage. Keeps the enemy guessing."

"Why aren't we watching the original broadcast with the other Avengers?"

"1. They'd know we're watching-"

"We're always watching."

"2. They'd know we were up to something."

"Stark already shot that naivety in the foot with his Jarvis crack. Phase Two-"

"Phase Two will go along as planned, we're here for the long game."

"Three? There's always a three."

"3. I'd have to share ma cinnamon rolls" he pulled the plate closer.

"Sir, I have to ask-"

"Hm?" Fury mumbled through a mouthful of coffee.

"What if Loki breaks Tony?"

Fury set down his coffee with a small ching.

"A cracked vase will always spill eventually."


End file.
